In a comprehensive review of the literature containing comparisons between boys and girls on motivation and/or achievement in science, findings were transformed into a common metric and analyzed. It was found that sex differences in both motivation and achievement are smaller than is generally assumed, but they do occur. (Author/BW)

The reliability and validity of the Spotlight for Literacy screening test was tested by administration to Australian first-graders. Prediction was best for low- and high-achievement groups. In general, girls scored higher than boys, groups differed according to socioeconomic status, and children from English-speaking homes scored higher than…

This paper presents a model for studying the freshman year experience and identifying predictors of overall satisfaction with the first year in college. Results are based on a survey of 268 freshmen attending a private, selective college in the northeast. Findings confirm the importance of social experiences. Three of five significant predictors…

This study examines graduation rates at public two-year, public four-year and private four-year colleges in the United States. Its major purpose is to account for the variance in graduation rates taking into account several institutional and institutionally-related student financial aid predictor variables. United States colleges and universities…

This study examined the effects of caregiver stability on children's behavior in day care centers during a period of caregiver turnover. A total of 25 children, ages 2-5 years, in 7 day care centers who encountered caregiver turnover participated in the study. Baseline and turnover observations were conducted and scored, and correlated with…

Noting that during adolescence the importance of feeling intimate or close to a relationship partner (mothers, fathers, or friends) increases and that closeness to parents is associated with positive adolescent outcomes, this study examined how features of adolescent relationships are related to adolescents' experience of subjective closeness in…

A study compared the rates of somatic symptoms associated with anxiety disorder in African Americans, Hispanics residing in Puerto Rico, and European American children. A total of 1,285 children were interviewed, along with their primary caretakers. Headaches were the most frequently endorsed somatic symptom, with half of the total sample…

This experimental study investigated internal (psychological characteristics) and external (World Wide Web site features) factors influencing learning and disorientation in Web navigation. The research design was a two-factors ANOVA (ANalysis Of VAriance) with mode of navigation (linear, nonlinear) and distracters (i.e., the presence of…

Studied high school students' (N=31) perceptions of significant adults as well as possible relationships between facets of alienation. Results showed parents were the adults most frequently named as significant. Teachers were not often chosen. There were no differences in adult relationship patterns between alienated and nonalienated students.…

The predictive ability of five characteristics of elementary school teachers on curriculum implementation was studied. The variables were dogmatism, knowledge, seniority, attitudes, and locus of control. Dogmatism was the best predictor; attitude was the poorest. Locus of control, as hypothesized, was related to the attribution of success or…

Guttman Smallest Space Analysis was applied to 51 variables collected on 850 children in 48 Israeli schools, grades 4 through 9. Mapping sentences were derived for defining achievement orientation. Relations among components of the structure were weaker for students of eastern origin than for those of western origin. (Author/RL)

Student responses to a questionnaire on 88 dropout prediction variables indicated that prevention of such wastage should be specific to student subgroup and should focus on colllege freshmen. (Available in microfiche from: Carfax Publishing Company, Haddon House, Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxford 0X9 8JZ, England.) (CP)

Presents findings from food frequency questionnaires and surveys of 138 Midwestern eighth-grade student-parent pairs. The study examined the incidence of modifiable and nonmodifiable osteoporosis risk factors and compared gender differences. Data analysis indicated that many adolescents possessed several modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors…

A study of 443 college faculty in English, biology, mathematics, and psychology in 163 institutions found gender, discipline, and some contextual variables to be the most significant predictors of faculty teaching paradigms. In addition, teaching paradigms were reflected in the frequencies of instructional behaviors reported by the faculty…

Drew on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to compare impact of family processes on delinquency in Latino, White, and African American youth. Found that parent attachment, supervision, and involvement predicted delinquency for whites. Supervision was the only significant family influence for Latinos, and attachment to parents was…